rhetorical
Americanadjective
-
used for, belonging to, or concerned with mere style or effect, rather than truth, substance, or meaning.
Her bold and ingenious analogies, although engaging, are purely rhetorical, adding nothing to our understanding of the issue.
- Synonyms:
- oratorical, stylistic, verbal
-
marked by or tending to use exaggerated language or bombast.
Fortunately, the rebel leaders did not have the military power to follow through on their fiery rhetorical eruptions.
-
of, relating to, or concerned with rhetoric, or the skillful use of language to persuade people.
She had spent hours with her advisors discussing rhetorical strategy, and now it was time to deliver the speech.
-
of, relating to, or in reference to a rhetorical question.
No need to respond—that was rhetorical.
adjective
-
concerned with effect or style rather than content or meaning; bombastic
-
of or relating to rhetoric or oratory
Other Word Forms
- nonrhetorical adjective
- rhetorically adverb
- rhetoricalness noun
- unrhetorical adjective
Etymology
Origin of rhetorical
First recorded in 1470–80; from Latin rhētoric(us) (from Greek rhētorikós ) + -al 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Not every man has the rhetorical gifts of Abraham Lincoln, but every one of us can avoid going straight to our political soapboxes and thereby diminishing the human tragedy before us.
A formal rhetorical shift took place in the administration’s National Security Strategy issued in December.
Culhane’s impression of the conservative pundit was pretty impressive, capturing his cadence and habit of using rhetorical questions — I hope we see it again.
From Los Angeles Times
Hegseth’s language choices and petulant tone do not demonstrate an ignorance of what rhetorical situations demand of him; instead, they reflect a refusal to be emasculated by such cumbersome norms.
From Salon
But through personal conviction and rhetorical skill he was able to rally his party and country to make substantial sacrifices during a crisis.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
